Youth Advocacy Program Manager – Bilingual Spanish

Covenant House International•New York, NY

1d•Remote

About The Position

The Youth Advocacy Program Manager supports the successful implementation and growth of Covenant House International’s flagship youth engagement initiative, the International Youth Congress (IYC). The role oversees the IYC’s day-to-day operations, coordinates virtual and in-person programming, supports youth participation and retention, facilitates communication across the international federation, and ensures members receive appropriate support. It combines program coordination with direct relationship-building and work with young people, staff, partners, and external stakeholders. The position requires fluency in English and Spanish and reports to the Vice President of Youth Advocacy, Planning, and Strategic Partnerships. It supervises members of the IYC. The manager coordinates program operations, participant support, events and trainings, and partnership and advocacy projects. This includes maintaining program systems and records, supporting youth members through check-ins and connections to local resources, arranging travel and convenings, and helping coordinate youth participation in advocacy, research, and public events. The position is 100% remote outside the stated travel requirements, which include an annual trip to New York City in early October and domestic and international travel of up to 25%.

Requirements

At least 3 years of professional experience in youth development, social services, advocacy, program coordination, nonprofit management, or a related field.
Experience working directly with young people who have experienced housing instability, homelessness, trafficking, foster care involvement, or other significant life challenges.
Fluency in English and Spanish, including verbal and written communication, and bicultural competency.
Experience coordinating complex projects, events, or programs involving multiple stakeholders.
Strong organizational and project management skills with exceptional attention to detail.
Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities and follow through on commitments.
Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, Teams, Zoom, and project management tools.
Exceptional organizational discipline, execution, and follow-through.
Sound judgment and professionalism.
Cross-cultural communication, cultural humility, relationship-building, and consensus-building skills.
Flexibility and adaptability in a fast-paced environment.
Commitment to youth partnership and shared decision-making.
Ability to balance administrative precision with warmth and empathy.
Ability to travel domestically and internationally up to 25%, including an annual trip to New York City in early October.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in social work or education, and/or equivalent lived and professional experience in systems that impact young people.
Experience coordinating advisory boards, youth councils, leadership programs, or community engagement initiatives.
Experience participating in coalitions, cross-sector partnerships, or community-based collaborations.
Familiarity with homelessness, housing policy, anti-trafficking efforts, youth development, or related social justice issues.
Experience supporting virtual learning communities, trainings, fellowship models, or leadership development programs.
Experience as an educator and/or building learning curriculum.
Experience as a social worker supporting vulnerable populations.
Knowledge of trauma-informed, positive youth development, and participatory leadership practices.
Applied knowledge of safeguarding and child and youth protection approaches and best practices.

Responsibilities

Coordinate day-to-day administration and implementation of the International Youth Congress (IYC).
Maintain project plans, calendars, meeting schedules, participation records, and program documentation.
Coordinate the program budget for timely reporting, payments, and expenditures.
Support Development and Brand and Communications teams on IYC-related initiatives and projects.
Track deliverables, follow-up items, deadlines, and reporting requirements.
Support onboarding and ongoing engagement of IYC members.
Coordinate communications with youth participants, Covenant House International staff, site staff, advisory board members, consultants, and partner organizations.
Manage program databases, contact lists, resource libraries, and participant records.
Develop and maintain operational systems that promote efficiency, accountability, and strong participant experiences.
Serve as a primary point of contact for IYC members and provide light case coordination and youth development support through regular check-ins and relationship-building.
Connect participants with resources and support systems available through their local Covenant House sites.
Identify barriers to participation and collaborate with site staff to support youth success.
Promote a trauma-informed, strengths-based, and culturally responsive environment.
Support youth leaders with travel, training participation, public speaking opportunities, and leadership development activities.
Coordinate virtual trainings, workshops, leadership development sessions, partner meetings, and community-building events.
Plan logistics for domestic and international convenings, retreats, and conferences, including travel, communications, accommodations, stipends, accessibility needs, and event materials.
Coordinate vendors, consultants, facilitators, and guest speakers; support facilitation of meetings and trainings as appropriate.
Ensure events are youth-centered, accessible, and aligned with Covenant House International values.
Support the SVP of Advocacy and Strategic Partnerships with administrative tasks related to legislative and regulatory advocacy work.
Support the VP of Youth Advocacy, Planning, and Strategic Partnerships in engaging external partners, coalitions, researchers, youth-serving organizations, and advocacy stakeholders.
Help coordinate staff, sites, and partners in authentic youth engagement and participation in advocacy opportunities, research projects, conferences, and public events.
Support information gathering, meeting preparation, and follow-up for partnerships and collaborative initiatives.
Contribute to special projects that strengthen youth leadership and systems-change efforts across the federation, as assigned by strategy office leadership.
Supervise members of the IYC.
Travel once per year to New York City in early October and travel domestically and internationally up to 25%.